A special anniversary: June 5th

On June 5th, 4 years ago, I kicked the smoking habit and exiled myself from the smokers' paradise.
I had my last puff at 11:20 a.m., on a beautiful day, at a beautiful spot, in a little park just outside Toronto's only castle Casa Loma. I made it into a whole ritual, and I knew then and there that it was for real - no more going back to smokers' world. I had stopped numerous times before, staying off ciggies for quite a while, and then would pick up the habit all over again. However, this last time, it was different. In my previous attempts I'd apply 'gentle approaches', aka skill over will, this time I decided to apply will over skill, meaning I stopped cold turkey - and it worked.

Life withouth smokes has been great, so much so that I wish I had stopped earlier. I try not to preach and not complain about people smoking around me since I remember how as a smoker I despised reformed smokers who'd endlessly preach about the harms of smoking. Smokers are not idiots - we (yes, I can never call myself a non-smoker but a smoker who's consciously choosing not to smoke), know all about the damage, but the addiction and the pleasure are so strong, they are difficult to live without.

If it weren't for the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and the stench, no one would mind smokers, right? I believe that if smokers were more considerate (especially here in Korea where smoking is as prevalent as oxygen breathing), and non-smokers less judgemental, we could all live happily ever after.

Somehow, class and money found their way into the whole issue. In Canada, as in other Western countries, it's the working class who smoke, the ones who cannot afford healthier and more expensive pleasures, settling for the Friday night beer and smokes. Ironically, however, the price of cigarettes in Canada is at about $10 (US), not cheap at all. If a couple who shares a pack of cancer sticks a day quit, they can save $3650.00 / year. Chances are that if they are serious smokers going through 2 packs a day, they can save $7300.00/year - enough for a great vacation at some place exotic, or downpayments on a car or even a smaller house.

But, here I go, talking like a reformed smoker, so I'll shut up. Let me just say that in most cases when smokers stop smoking they find an alternate way to spend their money - they start buying more expensive clothes, indulging in better food,coffee,wine...Unless they set up a special account to which they'd deposit each $10.00 buck saved on ciggies, no-long term financial benefit comes out of it.

To finish my little treatise on smoking, let me just say that I am mighty annoyed at the smoking situation in my work place. At my universtiy, all buildings are supposedly non-smoking, but students, professors and admin staff alike still smoke in corridors, entrances, restrooms. It's unfair to non-smokers and the buildings smell of cigarettes. I'd understand in the depth of winter, but why now? Just take your smoking pleasure out. It's not too much to ask, especially if you're breaking the rules and regulations regarding smoking introduced by the Korean Ministry of Health and applied by our university authorities.